Silver petals centered by a “heart” of gold with a dusting of tiny yellow sapphires.A hidden slide on the back allows conversion from pendant to brooch.

This piece was inspired by the mission of Guiding Eyes for the Blind and the hope this organization provides to the blind and visually impaired.

The apparent fragility of the almond blossom belies its strength; these delicate flowers appear in spring before any other bloom. Just as the almond flower advances against the sometimes hostile elements of nature, so the service dog precedes its master, a symbol of endurance, and, in itself, a thing of beauty.Cited in the Old Testament, the almond flower was a repeated motif in the carved decorations of the lampstands in Jerusalem’s Tabernacle. The blossom came to represent illumination, or, as translated from the Hebrew: “watchfulness.” What better metaphor for the eyes that guide the blind than this ancient symbol: beautiful, delicate, and yet full of light and hope.